Trap



E. H. TOMEY July 10, 1945.

TRAP

Filed May 10, 1944 INVENTOIi Patented July 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAP Earl Hicks Tomey, Detroit, Mich. Application May 10, 1944,"SerialNo. 534,931

3 Claims.

This invention relates to traps, an object being to provide atrap which is simple and durable in construction, can be easily set, will operate efficiently, and. which requires a very slight pressure parst without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the. accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of the trap set for use.

Figure 2 is a section through the base and jaw of the trap, said section being taken on line 2-2, Figure 1, other parts being illustrated in elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2'.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, I designates a base which can be formed of sheet metal or wood or other-suitable material and is provided with a recess 2 in the bottom thereof and a central longitudinal opening 4 in the top.

A cross-rod 5 having downturned fingers 6 is fixedly secured to the top of the base and bridges the opening 4 adjacent to one end thereof. An arcuate latch or trigger I is pivotally mounted on this rod and overhangs the opening 4. An arm 8 is extended from the latch or trigger and away from the opening and is constantly subjected to upward pressure by a spring! anchored at one end to the base I as shown at 10. Thus the constant tendency of the latch l is to swing downwardly toward the opening and the arm 8 is so proportioned that it can be used as a bait holder as will be apparent by referring to Figure 1.

Bearing members II in the form of cars or the like are located on the base adjacent to the sides thereof and on a line extending across that end of the opening 4 remote from the rod 5. In these bearings is journalled a rod I2 which bridges the opening 4 and is provided, above said opening, with an upwardly extended arcuate loop [3. The rod I2 is formed with an angular extension [4 which constitutes the jaw of the trap, this extension being made up of side members l5 both of which are joined to the transverse portion of rod [2 adjacent to the ends thereof and an intermediate transverse portion I6, A setting handle or lever II is formed at one end of rod I2 and is supported beyond the side of the base as shown.

A coiled spring I 8 is anchored at one end in the base as shown at H] and at its other end to the u per end of the arcuate loop [3, as shown at 20.

The width of the loop is less than the diameter of the spring and as the spring is extended through the opening 4, it will be apparent that when the jaw 14 is swung downwardly into set position, the loop l3 will pull on the spring 18 and elongate it and at the same time the spring will be caused to follow and rest on the loop in its extended or tensioned position as shown in Figure 2. This bending of the spring where it contacts with the loop results in the spacing of the convolutions and the latch l is o located that V by swinging it forwardly and downwardly, it can enter any one of these spaces between the convolutions, thereby holding the spring and the jaw against movement.

After the jaw has been set as explained and bait has been placed onthe arm 8, the trap is ready for use. When a slight pressure is applied to the arm 8 containing the bait, the upper end portion of the latch 1 will be caused to withdraw .from the space in which it is seated within the spring and thus the spring is released and promptly pulls the loop l3 downwardly into the opening 4 and causes the jaw M to swing over and snap onto the base I or onto any rodent which may have sprung the trap.

Importance is attached to the fact that the trap can be set simply by turning the handle I! and as'the latch l overbalances the arm 8, it will act as a pawl across which the spaced convolutions of the spring will slip while the trap is being set, but as soon as the handle I! is released, the end of the latch will drop into one of the spaces between the oonvolutions. Consequently the trap can be readily-set without danger of injury to the user. Furthermore the jaw I l, when locked, can be supported at any desired angle. Thus the speed of operation can be increased or. reduced. In other words the time required for the jaw to snap onto the base from a vertical position is much less than when the jaw is in a lower position.

It is to be understood of course that the spring 9 is to be merely of sufii'cient strength to hold the arm or bait holder 8 in raised position when bait is supported thereon.

It will be noted that'while bait is being placed on the arm or holder" 8, the handle I! can be grasped to prevent the trap from being prematurely sprung.

What is claimed is:

1. A trap including a base, a jaw pivotally mounted on the base, an arcuate member extending upwardly from and movable with the jaw, a coiled spring anchored to the base and to said arcuate member and positioned to be bent and placed under tension when the jaw is moved to set position and the arcuate member is moved in one direction, thereby to produce spaces between those convolutions of the spring engaging the arcuate member, a latch pivotally mounted and positioned to move by gravity into one of said spaces, thereby to hold the spring under tension and the jaw in set position, and. a bait holder extending from the latch and depressible to disengage the latch from the spring.

2. A trap including an apertured base, a jaw pivotally mounted on the base, an arcuate member carried by and movable with the jaw and extended upwardly away from the opening, a coiled spring anchored on the base and extended through the opening, said spring being secured at one end to the end of the arcuate member, said arcuate member constituting means for stretching the spring when the member is moved away from normal position, thereby to form spaces between convolutions of the spring, a latch pivotally mounted on the base and positioned to gravitate into one of said spaces, thereby to hold the spring under tension and the jaw in set position, a bait holder extended from the latch, and a yielding support for the bait holder. i

3. A trap including an apertured base, "a jaw pivotally mounted on the base, an arcuate member carried by and movable with the jaw and extended upwardly away from the opening, a coiled spring anchored on the base and extended through the opening, said spring being secured at one end to the end of the arcuate member, said arcuate member constituting means for stretching the spring when the member is moved away from normal position, thereby to form spaces between convo1utions of the spring, a latch pivotally mounted on the base and positioned to gravitate into one of said spaces, thereby to hold the spring under tension and the jaw in set position, a bait holder extended from the latch, a yielding support for the bait holder, and a setting handle connected to the jaw and supported beyond one side of the base.

EARL HICKS TOMEY. 

